Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-fscjk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T13:42:51.221Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

New records of whale shark (Rhincodon typus), giant manta ray (Manta birostris) and Chilean devil ray (Mobula tarapacana) for Suriname

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 January 2015

M.N. De Boer ,
J.T. Saulino ,
T.P. Lewis  and
G. Notarbartolo-Di-Sciara
M.N. De Boer*
Affiliation:
IMARES Wageningen University, Institute for Marine Resources and Ecosystem Studies, Postbus 167, 1790 AD Den Burg, the Netherlands Seven Seas Marine Consultancy, Postbus 1001GK, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
J.T. Saulino
Affiliation:
Seven Seas Marine Consultancy, Postbus 1001GK, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
T.P. Lewis
Affiliation:
Biología, Ecología Marina y Conservación (BIOECOMAC), Department of Animal Biology, Geology and Edaphology, La Laguna University, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
G. Notarbartolo-Di-Sciara
Affiliation:
Tethys Research Institute, Viale G.B. Gadio 2, 20121, Milano, Italy
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: M.N. de Boer, Seven Seas Marine Consultancy, Postbus 11422, 1001 GK, Amsterdam, the Netherlands email: [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

Little is known about elasmobranchs along the northern coast of South America. During five boat surveys in Suriname offshore waters we visually documented the presence and behaviour of the free-ranging whale shark Rhincodon typus and two mobulid rays: the giant manta ray Manta birostris and the Chilean devil ray Mobula tarapacana. Three sightings were made of R. typus at the surface in shallow coastal waters where the water depth measured 46–67 m. One of these sightings was confirmed by photographs. Manta birostris was positively identified on five occasions while at the surface, all in shallow waters of less than 57 m deep. Four additional sightings, not accompanied by photographs, were identified as Manta spp. One devil ray, photographed and identified as Mobula tarapacana, was recorded at the surface in deep waters (2491 m) in July 2012. These records of R. typus, Manta birostris and Mobula tarapacana are the first for Suriname and therefore add to the documented information of these species within the Wider Caribbean Region and contribute to the knowledge of the pelagic distribution of these species.

Keywords

whale sharkRhincodon typusgiant manta rayManta birostrisChilean devil rayMobula tarapacanaElasmobranchsWider Caribbean RegionAtlantic Oceangeographical range
Type
Research Article
Information
Marine Biodiversity Records , Volume 8 , 2015 , e10
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2015 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Alava, M.N.R., Dolumbalo, E.R.Z., Yaptinchay, A.A. and Trono, R.B. (2002) Fishery and trade of whale sharks and manta rays in the Bohol Sea, Philippines. In Fowler, S.L., Reed, T.M. and Dipper, F.A. (eds) Elasmobranch Biodiversity, Conservation and Management, Sabah: IUCN, p. 260.Google Scholar
Amatali, M.A. (1993) Climate and surface water hydrology. In Ouboter, P.E. (ed.) Freshwater Ecosystems of Suriname. Dordrecht: Springer Science business media B.V., pp. 29–51.Google Scholar
Anderson, R. and Ahmed, H. (1993) The shark fisheries of the Maldives. Technical report. Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture, Malé, Republic of Maldives, 7pp.Google Scholar
Babb-Echteld, Y., Chin-A-Lin, T. and Charlier, P. (2000) Observers programme in Suriname: review and proposal for sub-regional co-ordination. Paramaribo: Suriname Fisheries Department, 23 pp.Google Scholar
Bizzarro, J., Smith, W.D. and Clark, T.B. (2006) Mobula munkiana. IUCN, 2014. International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species, version 2010.4. Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org (accessed 5 April 2014).Google Scholar
Bizzarro, J., Smith, W., Baum, J., Domingo, A. and Menni, R. (2009) Mobula hypostoma. IUCN, 2014. International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species, version 2013.2. Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org (accessed 5 April 2014).Google Scholar
Bizzarro, J., Smith, W., White, W.T. and Valenti, S.V. (2007) Mobula kuhlii. IUCN, 2014. International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species, version 2010.4 Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org (accessed 5 April 2014).Google Scholar
Canese, S., Cardinali, A., Romeo, T., Giusti, M., Salvati, E., Angiolillo, M. and Greco, S. (2011) Diving behaviour of the giant devil ray in the Mediterranean Sea. Endangered Species Research 14, 171–176.Google Scholar
CARICOM (2000) Report of the multidisciplinary survey of the fisheries of Suriname. CARICOM Fisheries Unit, Lomé IV, project no. 7, Belize City, Belize, 47 pp. Available at: http://www.caricomfisheries.com/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=%2Bnp/ovgLzbg%3Dandtabid=85 (accessed 21 July 2014).Google Scholar
Clark, T.B., Smith, W.D. and Bizzarro, J.J. (2006a) Mobula tarapacana. IUCN, 2014. International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species, version 2013.2. Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org (accessed 5 April 2014).Google Scholar
Clark, T.B., Smith, W.D. and Bizzarro, J.J. (2006b) Mobula thurstoni. IUCN, 2014. International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species. Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org (accessed 5 April 2014).Google Scholar
Colman, J.G.J. (1997) A review of the biology and ecology of the whale shark. Journal of Fish Biology 51, 1219–1234.Google Scholar
Compagno, L.J.V. and Last, P.R. (1999) Mobulidae. In Carpenter, K.E. and Niem, V.H. (eds) FAO species identification guide for fishery purposes. The living marine resources of the western central Pacific. Vol. 3, Batoid fishes, Chimaeras and bony fishes, part 1 (Elopidae to Linophyrnidae). FAO: Rome, pp. 1524–1529.Google Scholar
Condie, S.A. (1991) Separation and recirculation of the North Brazil Current. Journal of Marine Research 49, 1–19.Google Scholar
Cortés, J. and Blum, S. (2008) Life at 450 m depth to Isla del Coco, Costa Rica. Revista de Biologia Tropical (International Journal of Tropical Biology) 56, 189–206.Google Scholar
Couturier, L.I.E., Marshall, A.D., Jaine, F.R.A., Kashiwagi, T., Pierce, S.J., Townsend, K.A., Weeks, S.J., Bennett, M.B. and Richardson, A.J. (2012) Biology, ecology and conservation of the Mobulidae. Journal of Fish Biology 80, 1075–1119.Google Scholar
De Boer, M.N. (in press) Cetaceans observed off Suriname and adjacent waters. Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals.Google Scholar
Debrot, A.O., De Leon, R., Esteban, N. and Meesters, H.W.G. (2013) Observations on the whale shark (Rhinocodon typus) in the Dutch Caribbean. Caribbean Journal of Sciences 47, 357–362.Google Scholar
Eckert, S.A. and Stewart, B.S. (2001) Telemetry and satellite tracking of whale sharks, Rhincodon typus, in the Sea of Cortez, Mexico, and the north Pacific Ocean. Environmental Biology of Fishes 60, 299–308.Google Scholar
Eisma, D. and van Bennekom, A.J. (1969) Oceanographic observations on the eastern Suriname Shelf. NIOZ-rapport 11, 51 pp.Google Scholar
Etnoyer, P., Canny, D., Mate, B.R., Morgan, L.E., Ortega-Ortiz, J.G. and Nichols, W.J. (2006) Sea surface temperature gradients across blue whale and sea turtle foraging trajectories off the Baja California Peninsula, Mexico. Deep-Sea Research Part II 53, 340–358.Google Scholar
Fox, S., Foisy, I., De La Parra Venegas, R., Galvan Pastoriza, B.E., Graham, R.T., Hoffmayer, E.R., Holmberg, J. and Pierce, S.J. (2013) Population structure and residency of whale sharks Rhincodon typus at Utila, Bay Islands, Honduras. Journal of Fish Biology 83, 574–587.Google Scholar
Gillett, R. (2011) Bycatch in small-scale tuna fisheries: a global study. Food and Agriculture Organization, Fisheries and Aquaculture Technical Paper, 560, 132 pp.Google Scholar
Graham, R. and Roberts, C.M. (2007) Assessing the size, growth rate and structure of a seasonal population of whale sharks (Rhincodon typus Smith 1828) using conventional tagging and photo identification. Fisheries Research 84, 71–80.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Graham, R.T., Witt, M.J., Castellanos, D.W., Remolina, F., Maxwell, S., Godley, B.J. and Hawkes, L.A. (2012) Satellite Tracking of Manta Rays Highlights Challenges to Their Conservation. PLoS ONE 7, e36834.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gyory, J., Mariano, A. and Ryan, E. (2005) The Guiana current, Ocean surface currents. Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative. Available at: http://www.oceancurrents.rsmas.miami.edu/atlantic/guiana.html (accessed 5 April 2014).Google Scholar
Heyman, W., Graham, R., Kjerfve, B. and Johannes, R. (2001) Whale sharks Rhincodon typus aggregate to feed on fish spawn in Belize. Marine Ecology Progress Series 215, 275–282.Google Scholar
Hoffmayer, E.R., Franks, J.S., Driggers, W.B. III, Oswald, K.J. and Quattro, J.M. (2007) Observations of a feeding aggregation of whale sharks, Rhincodon typus, in the north central Gulf of Mexico. Gulf and Caribbean Research 19, 1–5.Google Scholar
Hueter, R.E., Tyminski, J.P. and de la Parra, R. (2013) Horizontal Movements, Migration Patterns, and Population Structure of Whale Sharks in the Gulf of Mexico and Northwestern Caribbean Sea. PLoS ONE 8: e71883.Google Scholar
Kashiwagi, T., Marshall, A.D., Bennett, M.B. and Ovenden, J.R. (2011) Habitat segregation and mosaic sympatry of the two species of manta ray in the Indian and Pacific Oceans: Manta alfredi and M. birostris. Marine Biodiversity Records 4, e53.Google Scholar
Lowe-McConnell, R.H. (1962) The fishes of the British Guiana continental shelf, Atlantic coast of South America, with notes on their natural history. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 44, 669–700.Google Scholar
Luiz, O.J. Jr, Balboni, A.P., Kodja, G., Andrade, M. and Marum, H. (2009) Seasonal occurrences of Manta birostris (Chondrichthyes: Mobulidae) in southeastern Brazil. Ichthyological Research 56, 96–99.Google Scholar
Mannocci, L., Monestriez, R., Bolanos, J., Doremus, G., Jérémie, S., Laran, S., Rinaldi, R., van Ganneyt, O. and Ridoux, V. (2013) Megavertebrate communities from two contrasting ecosystems in the western tropical Atlantic. Journal of Marine Systems 111, 208–222.Google Scholar
Marshall, A., Bennett, M.B., Kodja, G., Hinojosa-Alvarez, S., Galvan-Magana, F., Harding, M., Stevens, G. and Kashiwagi, T. (2011b) Manta birostris. IUCN, 2014. International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species, version 2013.2. Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org (accessed 5 April 2014).Google Scholar
Marshall, A., Kashiwagi, T., Bennett, M.B., Deakos, M.H., Stevens, G., McGregor, F., Clark, T., Ishihara, H. and Sato, K. (2011a) Manta alfredi. IUCN, 2014. International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species, version 2011. 1. Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org (accessed 5 April 2014).Google Scholar
Marshall, A.D., Compagno, L.J.V. and Bennett, M.B. (2009) Redescription of the genus Manta with resurrection of Manta alfredi (Krefft, 1868) (Chondrichthyes; Myliobatoidei; Mobulidae). Zootaxa 2301, 1–28.Google Scholar
McEachran, J.D., de Carvalho, M.R. and Carpenter, K.E. (2002) Batoid fishes. In Carpenter, E.E. (ed.) The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Atlantic (Vol. 1). Rome: FAO, pp. 507–589.Google Scholar
Miloslavich, P., Klein, E., Dıaz, J.M., Hernandez, C.E., Bigatti, G., Campos, L., Artigas, F., Castillo, J., Penchaszadeh, P.E., Neill, P.E., Carranza, A., Rretana, M.V., Diaz de Astarloa, J.M., Lewis, M., Yorio, P., Piriz, M.L., Rodriguez, D., Yoneshigue-Valentin, Y., Gamboa, L. and Martin, A. (2011) Marine Biodiversity in the Atlantic and Pacific Coasts of South America: knowledge and gaps. PLOS ONE 6, e14631.Google Scholar
Motta, P.J., Maslanka, M., Hueter, R.E., Davis, R.L., Parra, R.D.L., Mulvany, S.L., Habegger, M.L., Strothere, J.A., Mara, K.R., Gardiner, J.M., Tyminski, J.P. and Zeigler, L.D. (2010) Feeding anatomy, filter-feeding rate, and diet of whale sharks Rhincodon typus during surface ram-filter feeding off the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. Zoology 113, 199–212.Google Scholar
Norman, B. (2005) Rhincodon typus. IUCN, 2013. International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species, version 2013.2. Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org (accessed 5 April 2014).Google Scholar
Notarbartolo-di-Sciara, G. (1987) A revisionary study of the genus Mobula Rafinesque, 1810 (Chondrichthyes, Mobulidae), with the description of a new species. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 91, 1–91.Google Scholar
Notarbartolo-di-Sciara, G. (1988) Natural history of the rays of the genus Mobula in the Gulf of California. Fishery Bulletin 86, 45–66.Google Scholar
Notarbartolo-di-Sciara, G. and Hillyer, E.V. (1989) Mobulid rays of eastern Venezuela (Chondrichthyes, Mobulidae). Copeia 1989, 607–614.Google Scholar
Notarbartolo-di-Sciara, G. and Seret, B. (in press) Mobulidae. In Seret, B. (ed.) Batoid Fishes FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes, Eastern Central Atlantic. Rome: FAO, pp. 746–753.Google Scholar
Notarbartolo-di-Sciara, G., Serena, F. and Mancusi, C. (2006) Mobula mobular. IUCN, 2014. International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species, version 2010. 4. Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org (accessed 5 April 2014).Google Scholar
de la Parra Venegas, R., Hueter, R., Cano, J.G., Tyminski, J., Gregorio Remolina, J., Maslanka, M., Ormos, A., Weigt, L., Carlson, B. and Alistair, D. (2011) An unprecedented aggregation of whale sharks, Rhincodon typus, in Mexican coastal waters of the Caribbean Sea. PLoS One 6, e18994.Google Scholar
Pierce, S.J. and Bennett, M.B. (2003) Mobula eregoodootenkee. IUCN, 2014. International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species, version 2010. 4. Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org (accessed 5 April 2014).Google Scholar
Pierce, S.J., Mendez-Jimenez, A., Collins, K., Rosero-Caicedo, M. and Monadjem, A. (2010) Developing a Code of Conduct for whale shark interactions in Mozambique. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 20, 782–788.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Plouvier, D., Gomes, L., Verweij, P. and Verlinden, N. (2012) Living Guianas. Paramaribo: WWF.Google Scholar
Ramírez-Macías, D., Meekan, M., De La Parra-Venegas, R., Remolina-Suarez, F., Trigo-Mendoza, M. and Vázquex-Juárez, R. (2012) Patterns in composition, abundance and scarring of whale sharks Rhincodon typus near Holbox Island, Mexico. Journal of Fish Biology 80, 1401–1416.Google Scholar
Rohner, C.A., Couturier, L.I.E., Richardson, A.J., Pierce, S.J., Prebble, C.E.M., Gibbons, M.J. and Nichols, P.D. (2013) Diet of whale sharks Rhincodon typus inferred from stomach content and signature fatty acid analyses. Marine Ecology Progress Series 493, 219–235.Google Scholar
Riley, K.L., Holladay, C.G., Chesney, E.J. and Tierscha, T.R. (2004) Cryopreservation of sperm of red snapper (Lutjanus campechanus). Aquaculture 238, 183–194.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Riley, M.J., Hale, M.S., Harman, A. and Rees, R.G. (2010) Analysis of whale shark Rhincodon typus aggregations near South Ari Atoll, Maldives Archipelago. Aquatic Biology 8, 145–150.Google Scholar
Robinson, D.P., Jaidah, M.Y., Jabado, R.W., Lee-Brooks, K., Nour El-Din, N.M., Malki, A.A.A., Elmeer, K., McCormick, P.A., Henderson, A.C., Pierce, S.J. and Ormond, R.F.G. (2013) Whale sharks, Rhincodon typus, aggregate around offshore platforms in Qatari waters of the Arabian Gulf to feed on fish spawn. PLoS ONE 8, e58255.Google Scholar
Romero, A., Agudo, A.I., Salazar, C. (2000) Whale shark records and conservation status in Venezuela. Biodiversity 1, 11–15.Google Scholar
Rowat, D. (1997) Seychelles whale shark tagging project – pilot project report. Phelsuma Nature Protection Trust of Seychelles 5, 77–80.Google Scholar
Rowat, D. and Brooks, K.S. (2012) A review of the biology, fisheries and conservation of the whale shark Rhincodon typus. Journal of Fish Biology 80, 1019–1056.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rowat, D. and Gore, M. (2007) Regional scale horizontal and local scale vertical movements of whale sharks in the Indian Ocean off Seychelles. Fisheries Research 84, 32–40.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rowat, D., Meekan, M.G., Engelhardt, U., Pardigon, B. and Vely, M. (2006) Aggregations of juvenile whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) in the Gulf of Tadjoura, Djibouti. Environmental Biology of Fishes 80, 465–472.Google Scholar
Scacco, U., Consalvo, I. and Mostarda, E. (2009) First documented catch of the giant devil ray Mobula mobular (Chondrichthyes: Mobulidae) in the Adriatic Sea. Marine Biodiversity Records 2, e93.Google Scholar
Seijo, J.C. (2013) Suriname Sustainable Management of Fisheries. Mérida: Inter-American Development Bank.Google Scholar
Sequeira, A., Mellin, C., Rowat, D., Meekan, M.G. and Bradshaw, C.J.A. (2012) Ocean-scale prediction of whale shark distribution. Diversity and Distributions 18, 504–518.Google Scholar
Sequeira, A.M.M., Mellin, C., Fordham, D.A., Meekan, M.G. and Bradshaw, C.J.A. (2014) Predicting current and future global distributions of whale sharks. Global Change Biology 20, 778–789.Google Scholar
Sims, D.W. and Quayle, V.A. (1998) Selective foraging behaviour of basking sharks on zooplankton in a small-scale front. Nature 393, 460–464.Google Scholar
Taylor, J.G. (1996) Seasonal occurrence, distribution and movements of the whale shark, Rhincodon typus, at the Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia. Marine and Freshwater Research 47, 637–642.Google Scholar
Teunissen, P.A. (2000) Coastal Management Plan for the North Coronie Area in Suriname. Paramaribo: Ministry of Natural Resources/Suriname Forest Service/Nature Conservation Division.Google Scholar
Thorrold, S.R., Afonso, P., Fontes, J., Braun, C.D., Santos, R.S., Skomal, G.B. and Berumen, M.L. (2014) Extreme diving behaviour in devil rays links surface waters and the deep ocean. Nature Communications 5, 4274.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Valenti, S.V. and Kyne, P.M. (2007) Mobula rochebrunei. IUCN, 2014. International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species, version 2010. 4. Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org (accessed 5 April 2014).Google Scholar
White, W.T., Clark, T.B., Smith, W.D. and Bizzarro, J.J. (2006) Mobula japanica. IUCN, 2014. International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species, version 2010. 4. Available at: http://www.iucnredlist.org (accessed 5 April 2014).Google Scholar
Willems, T., Depestele, J., De Backer, A. and Hostens, K. (2013) Bycatch of rays in the trawl fishery for Atlantic seabob shrimp (Xiphopenaeus kroyeri) in Suriname: how effective are TEDs and BRDs? ILVO Mededeling 139, 1–22.Google Scholar
Wilson, S.G. (2004) Basking sharks (Cetorhinus maximus) schooling in the southern Gulf of Maine. Fisheries Oceanography 13, 283–286.Google Scholar
Wilson, S.G., Taylor, J.G. and Pearce, A.F. (2001) The seasonal aggregation of whale sharks at Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia: currents, migrations and the El Nino/Southern Oscillation. Environmental Biology of Fishes 61, 1–11.Google Scholar